Thursday 14 May 2015

Taylor, John - Private (204077)

Private John Taylor
2nd/5th Battalion
Lancashire Fusiliers
Killed in Action
9th September 1916
age 22

Buried at Elville Wood Cemetery Longueval.



John Taylor was born in Haslingden in March 1895. He was the younger son of Jonas and Elizabeth Taylor and was baptised at St. John’s Church, Stonefold on 5 May 1895. At that time the family were living at 671, Blackburn Rd, Rising Bridge. In 1901 John was living at 671, Blackburn Road, Acre with his parents, brother Albert and sister Florence. John was a regular attender at Stonefold Church and Sunday School and was an ardent worker for the Church Institute. Prior to the war he worked as a weaver at Industrial Mill, where his workmates presented him with an appreciated gift when he was leaving for the front. He enlisted in the 2/5 Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers on 1 March 1916 and had been posted as missing since September 9th 1916, and was later presumed to have been killed on that date. The family did not receive confirmation of his death until July 1917. He was 22 years of age and unmarried.
His brother Albert, was in the North Lancashires’, and at the time of John’s death, was serving at the front. The family at that time were residing at 7, Rising Bridge Road, Rising Bridge.

John Taylor is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery  on the Somme in France. 

On 9 September 1916, the 2nd/5th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers took part in an attack on the village of Ginchy in the later stages of the Battle of the Somme. Their role was to capture two German trenches on the northwest of the village. Unfortunately there were no landmarks to guide the troops except the north east corner of Delville Wood, which lay to the left.
The result was confusion as the Battalion was forced to deploy in the open under a barrage of German shellfire, with German machine gun fire from two sides. No progress, therefore, could be made. The remnants were relieved after three days of constant shelling.
Pte. Taylor was one of 350 men of the Battalion killed, wounded or missing. His body was not recovered until the following Spring when the Germans had left the area to consolidate new positions.
From – Bill Turner’s Book.

Newspaper Report:

Mr and Mrs. Jonas Taylor of 7 Rising Bridge Road, Haslingden have received information from the War Office that their younger son, Private John Taylor, Lancashire Fusiliers, aged 22, who had been posted as missing since September 9th, 1916 was killed on that date.  He enlisted on March 1st 1916.  He was a regular attendee at Stonefold Church Sunday School, and was an ardent worker for the Church Institute.  A weaver at the Industrial Mill, his workmates presented him with an appreciated gift when he was leaving for the front.  He was much respected by all who knew him.
The deceased's brother, Albert, enlisted in the same month, and is serving at the front with the North Lancashires.

Newspaper Memorials:

In loving memory of our dear Son, Pte. John Taylor of the Lancashire Fusiliers, who died somewhere in France on the 9th of September 1916.

"He little thought his life was short
On this earth to remain;
Two years have past since that sad day,
We thought to meet again.

He is gone, but not forgotten,
Often do we call his name,
There's nothing left to answer
But his picture in the frame.

Thou art not dead, dear son,
Nor wilt thou ever be,
So long as life and memory last,
We will remember thee.

"Ever remembered"

From his Father and Mother, 7 Rising Bridge Road, Baxenden.

"If we could have raised his dying head,
And heard his last farewell,
The grief would not have been so hard,
For those who loved him well.

Too far away thy grave to see,
But not too far to think of thee,
One of the best that God could lend,
A loving brother to the end.

From his Sister Florrie, and Brother Albert (in Cleethorpes) and also his Nephew Jack.

"Three years have passed but still we miss him,
our dear son and brother,
Loving memories still remain;
Hours of joy we have spent together,
Hours we cannot share again.

Too dearly loved to be forgotten

From his father and mother, and his brother, Albert, 7 Rising Bridge Road, Baxenden.

"Dear brother, you are sleeping your last, long sleep,
In a grave I may never see;
May some loving hand in that distant land,
Gently place some flowers for me"

His memory is as fresh today
As in the hour he passed away.

From his sister, Florrie and brother in law Jack; also his little Godson, Jack.

"Five years have passed and he lives with us
in memory still and will for evermore,
Worthy of everlasting love.

From his Father and Mother and Brother Albert, 7 Rising Bridge Road, Baxenden.

"Some day, some time, our eyes shall see,
The face we keep in memory"

Sadly missed by his Sister Florrie and Brother In Law Jack; also his Nephew Jack, 9 Worsley Street, Rising Bridge. 

Sleep on, dear son, in a far-off grave,
A grave we may never see;
But as long as life and memory last,
We shall always think of thee.

His King and country called him,
The call was not in vain;
In Britain's roll of honour
You will find our hero's name

"Abide with me."

From his sorrowful Father, Mother, Sister and Brother